Paradise Island Villas
- Anissaras

Overview

The family-friendly Paradise Island Villas are scattered between the mountains and Mediterranean, just outside Anissaras. Terracotta tiles and bougainvillea-clad walls lead the way to the earthy interiors of ivory-hued, minimalist design. Outside, private gardens have their own pools, dining areas and Jacuzzi jets.

Highlights:

Private, personal service with staff who are experts of the area

Spacious villa suites enhanced with pools and gardens

A taste of real, rustic Crete, close to villages, mountains and the sea

Smith extra

Bottle of Cretan wine and a hamper of local produce

In the know

Also need to know:

Lightweight pets (under 5kg only) are allowed. Guests can smoke in any of the outdoor areas. Spa treatments have been developed using traditional home-made recipes; select one and have it in the privacy of your villa’s garden.

Packing tips:

More than a modesty-preserving leaf is required. Try your slinkiest swimwear, sarongs and soft linens instead.

Dress code:

The temperature rises around here: floaty and feminine for Mrs Smith, crisp cotton for Mr Smith.

Mr and Mrs Smith reviews

Is it a cliché that, on my first trip to Greece, I am dancing Zorba the Greek in a dining room of our hotel with a group of complete strangers? Probably, but I’m having so much fun it’s hard to care.

Eleni – general manager, party hostess and all round cheerleader at the Paradise Island Villas – is busy working the playlist on the iPod while, Paul, her deputy puts us through the paces. ‘Left, right, left, right!’ The woman to my left, M from New York, whispers, ‘Oh my God, he’s gorgeous!’ I hope her husband on her left can’t hear over the quickening beat of the blaring music. I turn to Mr Smith and yell, ‘I can’t believe we’re in Crete!’

Rewind. When I was eight, I was given one of those dinky Ladybird children’s books for Christmas. It was about an island called Crete and it had amazing pictures of an austere throne-room in a palace called Knossos that was filled with paintings of gorgeous Minoan ladies with huge curly hair, and lithe youth somersaulting over bulls. The book said Knossos was 4,000 years old. I was endlessly impressed. When you’re eight, any number over ten is old. We moved houses, and the book got lost, but I never forgot those images and the thrilling sense of this other, ancient world. Even the name 'Crete' held a magical quality. Which explains why when Mr Smith idly suggested we spend Easter in Greece this year, my immediate response was that I wanted to go to Crete.

The omniscient reach of the Mr & Mrs Smith website threw up Paradise Island Villas. With just 12 double-storey, self-contained villas, each with a private plunge pool, it sounded like the perfect getaway. For the next couple of months, I peppered the lovely Eleni with emails. How should I get to Crete from Athens? Could she organise a rental car? Should I fly to our next stop Santorini? How much would it cost for a car pick up from the airport? What was the weather like?

The woman was unflappably relaxed and cheerful. And she seemed to know everything there is to know about Crete. When we finally met, I blinked, because she was a dead ringer for one of those Minoan ladies, right down to the abundance of curly tresses. ‘I’ve upgraded you,’ she announced in flawless English. ‘Your villa has two bedrooms upstairs, two bathrooms, a dining room, living room, kitchen, and a big backyard with the pool, so it’s a big space. It’s perfect for a family, but you’ll love it.’

As it turned out, the villa was a little too big for the two of us. We spent a lot of time clattering around the different levels, calling out, ‘Where are you? Can you bring down the camera? I can’t be bothered going back upstairs.’ It quickly became clear why Paradise Island is so popular with families. Styled a little half-heartedly like a show-flat, the villas are low-key and laid-back in a way that is almost rough and ready. Even the resort’s location – in the midst of a suburban row of residential houses – is no-frills. Which explains why the view from our bedroom was a mix of distant mountains, vast swathes of natural scrubland, and the backyards and garages of neighbouring residents.

One afternoon, while playing tennis, we saw a family pull into the parking lot and unload bags of groceries. ‘They’re English and they booked their holiday with Mr & Mrs Smith,’ Eleni said, completely unaware of our secret identities. ‘This is their second visit and they say they are coming back in August. They just love the freedom to do what they want. They can cook in their villa, they can order room service, their kids can run around. It’s a real holiday for them!’

And Paradise Island certainly lacks little in the way of facilities to keep its guests entertained. Besides the hardcourt tennis area that adjoins the garden of a kindly old gent who turned out to be the owner of the resort, there’s also a small gym, a large pool that fronts the deep comfy sofas of the lanai, and a smaller more private pool nestled among the villas.

But it’s the staff that gives the resort its welcoming warmth. M’s husband celebrated his birthday with a surprise chocolate birthday cake. And it was Eleni who staged the impromptu after-dinner dance of Ibiza hits and Zorba the Greek to mark the occasion. In the end, her unflagging energy was a boon. Unerringly, she advised us on everything from which table to book at the restaurant on the harbour and which little village to visit, to where we should park in the port and the quickest route to Knossos.

‘It’s a pity it’s still too cold for the beach, but the next time you come, I can recommend a different beach to go to each day!’ she said proudly on our last day as we were checking out. ‘Different type of sand, different colour of the sea, different crowd,’ she added, giving Mr Smith and me a penetrating knowing look.

Mr Smith and I laughed about this in the taxi all the way to the port for the ferry that would take us to our next stop, Santorini. ‘I really can’t believe we’re in Crete,’ I repeated.

Accommodation details

Address:

Anissaras, Hersonissos, Crete, 70014AnissarasGreece

Location:

0.3 mi / 0.6 km from city centre

General facilities

Pool

Exercise gym

Internet services

Tennis court

On-Site parking

Golf

Room service

Lounges/bars

Onsite laundry

Restaurant

Dining information

Restaurant:

Ambrosia dishes up Mediterranean cuisine with a few Greek enhancements here and there. You can’t beat the catch of the day, grilled and served with roasted vegetables. There’s also locally reared lamb to look out for, and make sure you leave room for the loukoumades (a doughnut-like dessert with honey and ice-cream). The room is bright, with decorative ladders hanging on the walls. The poolside restaurant is mostly outside, so expect a light and airy setting, with views of the mountains in the distance. Poolside barbecues happen every week.

Top Table:

Base your preference on proximity to the pool – close up to see the swimmers, or splash-proof at the back.

Last Orders:

Leisurely breakfasts take place between 9am and 12pm; lunch is served between 12pm and 4:30pm; dinner is 7pm until 10:30pm. The bar shuts at midnight.

Room Service:

Order food from the à la carte menu from 9am to 4:30pm and from 7pm to 10:30pm. Drinks can be ordered anytime from 9am to 10:30pm.

Hotel Bar:

The ultra-modern poolside bar is decked out with hanging stainless steel lights and azure-coloured sidelighting to match the turquoise water. Try the local wines and champagne punch. It’s chilled out to the max (in fact, watch the soothing Greek sounds don’t send you to sleep).